Battery pack

Abstract

The present invention discloses a battery pack, which comprises a plurality of unit cells ( 1 ) each of which has two electrode terminals ( 2 and 3 ), and which are connected in series or in parallel by connecting an electrode terminal ( 2 or 3 ) of a unit cell ( 1 ) to an electrode terminal ( 3 or 2 ) of an adjacent unit cell ( 1 ), characterized in that, the electrode terminals ( 2 and 3 ) each is formed in a sheet shape, and the connection between the electrode terminals ( 2 and 3 ) is the binding of two sheets. According to the present invention, the battery pack has a low internal resistance, light weight, and reliable connection.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
   
   
       9 . A battery pack, comprising:
 a plurality of unit cells, each having two electrode terminals, the electrode terminal formed in a sheet-like shape having a cross-sectional area;   wherein a unit cell is connected to an adjacent unit cell in series by connecting an electrode terminal of the unit cell to an electrode terminal of the adjacent unit cell;   and wherein the connection between the electrode terminal of the unit cell and the electrode terminal of the adjacent unit cell binds the electrode terminals along a corresponding cross-sectional area of contact.   
   
   
       10 . The battery pack of  claim 9 , wherein an end of the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal of the unit cell is bent toward and contacts an end of the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal of the adjacent unit cell, and the respective ends are fixedly bound together to form the connection between the unit cell and the adjacent unit cell. 
   
   
       11 . The battery pack of  claim 10 , wherein the ends of the sheet-like shaped electrode terminals are fixedly bound together to establish a physical and electrical connection. 
   
   
       12 . The battery pack of  claim 10 , wherein the ends of the sheet-like shaped electrode terminals are fixedly bound together by welding, clamping and/or conductive gluing. 
   
   
       13 . The battery pack of  claim 9 , wherein the unit cell has a prismatic, circular, or rectangular cross-sectional shape. 
   
   
       14 . The battery pack of  claim 9 , wherein the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal has a width of between 5% and 40% of a width of the unit cell, and has a thickness of between 1% and 20% of a thickness of the unit cell. 
   
   
       15 . The battery pack of  claim 9 , further including for each unit cell:
 a cover plate having a through-hole configured to receive a portion of the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal therethrough; and   a sealing member configured to seal a gap formed between the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal and an inside perimeter of the through-hole.   
   
   
       16 . The battery pack of  claim 15 , wherein the sealing member comprises an insulating elastic component circumscribing a portion of the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal and a crimping member that compresses the elastic component about the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal. 
   
   
       17 . The battery pack of  claim 16 , wherein the crimping member, the insulating elastic component and the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal are integrated using injection molding. 
   
   
       18 . The battery pack of  claim 16 , wherein the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal has a through hole through a cross-section thereof configured to receive a portion of the compressed elastic component. 
   
   
       19 . A method of forming a battery pack, comprising:
 providing a plurality of unit cells, each having two electrode terminals;   forming the electrode terminals in a sheet-like shape having a cross-sectional area;   connecting in series an electrode terminal of the unit cell with an electrode terminal of an adjacent unit cell; and   binding the electrode terminals along a corresponding cross-sectional area of contact to form a connection between the unit cell and the adjacent unit cell.   
   
   
       20 . The method  claim 19 , including:
 bending an end of the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal of the unit cell toward an end of the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal of the adjacent unit cell, the respective ends contacting each other; and   fixedly binding the ends together to form the connection between the unit cell and the adjacent unit cell.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein fixedly binding the ends of the sheet-like shaped electrode terminals together establish a physical and electrical connection. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , including fixedly binding the ends of the sheet-like shaped electrode terminals together by welding, clamping and/or conductive gluing. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19 , further providing the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal having a width of between 5% and 40% of a width of the unit cell, and having a thickness of between 1% and 20% of a thickness of the unit cell. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 19 , further including:
 providing a cover plate for each unit cell;   forming a through-hole in the cover plate, the through-hole configured to receive a portion of the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal therethrough; and   providing a sealing member configured to seal a gap formed between the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal and an inside perimeter of the through-hole.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , further including:
 providing an insulating elastic component configured to circumscribe a portion of the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal; and   compressing the elastic component about the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal to form a seal.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , further including forming a through-hole through a cross-section of the sheet-like shaped electrode terminal and compressing the elastic component so that the through-hole receives a portion of the compressed elastic component. 
   
   
       27 . A battery pack, comprising:
 a plurality of unit cells, each having two electrode terminals, the electrode terminal formed in a sheet-like shape having a cross-sectional area;   wherein a unit cell is connected to an adjacent unit cell in parallel by connecting an electrode terminal of the unit cell to an electrode terminal of the adjacent unit cell;   and wherein the connection between the electrode terminal of the unit cell and the electrode terminal of the adjacent unit cell binds the electrode terminals along a corresponding cross-sectional area of contact.